On being a GP

A few weeks ago I wrote a mock lecture for a friend who is a nurse to “upskill” her into becoming a doctor. It was something I wrote in jest with the intention of training her to do my job (so she could see my patients while I went home to sleep). I was going through the files on my computer today when I found that “lecture” again, and I got to thinking how actually, it’s not that hard to do my job! I will show you now why I say this, incorporating part of my lecture. Think of this as something like the general practice version of the 'The House of God' rules :P



Yes, these treatment options apply to everything.


OK, now that the basics are covered – and remembering that the safest thing you can do in general practice is to do nothing, here is a more detailed (using the term ‘detailed’ in a very loose fashion) run down on the medical aspect of illness, by organ system.

Now, if you remember just a few of those things, you have very close to the medical knowledge of an Australian-trained GP. (You don’t even really have to worry about knowing how to do a physical examination. I mean, have a look at rashes and things patients like to show you, but it’s rarely going to be essential that you lay even a hand on them!)